With just three weeks left in the 2025 fantasy baseball season, it’s all hands on deck among playoff-bound teams, as well as those in roto formats looking to make a top-three (or better) push. But aside from championships and financial gain, what happens over these final few weeks is worth paying attention to — even for those out of the race. Why? Well, there’s always next year. Here’s what to watch over the last three weeks.

Players trending up for 2026

One of the best parts of these final few weeks is seeing which players can position themselves to gain fantasy value for next season. Some of these will be rookies, while others are names who could simply solidify their status as names to lock in on for 2026.

There have been a few players, already, who’ve done just that.

Juan Soto has put himself in a prime position to move into the top-five — or top-three — based on how these last few weeks have gone. The 26-year-old could match his 2024 home run total with three more over the final three weeks. But on top of that, Soto also has a career-high 29 steals.

No player in the Majors this season has yet to hit the 30-30 marker. Soto, who ranked #8 on our preseason list, may very well be the first. And, Pete Crow-Armstrong, who ranked #164 in February and is likely a top-two round talent next year, could join him.

Aside from Soto, Roman Anthony showcased home run power before suffering an oblique strain that ended his 2025 regular season. Anthony batted .308 with six home runs in his last 28 games, numbers that were somewhat similar to what Wyatt Langford (.300 AVG, 8 HR, 8 SB) did in September 2024 to raise his stock for 2025.

With that hot stretch, Anthony likely put himself in strong territory to go early in drafts come next year.

The one thing that we didn’t see from Anthony was stolen bases. Anthony is a good but not great runner who nabbed four stolen bases in the Majors this year. It’s plausible that he could contribute 15-20 next season, depending on whether the Sox want him to run. If he does, that would put him in the top 50.

As for pitchers, Hunter Greene has solidified a top-50 case for 2026, not surprising given his stuff. Greene, who we rated #35 during the preseason despite being undervalued by Yahoo!, ESPN, etc., has been superb when healthy. The right-hander, who can overwhelm and change speeds thanks to his splitter, struck out 113 over 90 frames along with a 2.59 ERA.

Injuries affecting 2026 big board

We know that Felix Bautista won’t be an option for next season, nor will Corbin Burnes. However, there have been players who’ve returned from injuries over the last few weeks who can make big gains on draft boards for next season.

Luis Garcia is one. The 28-year-old struck out six over six frames on September 1 to notch his first win since 2023.

His velocity hasn’t returned to form just yet, as he averaged 91.4 MPH against the Angels, about one MPH slower than in 2023. But, what he was able to do was induce a lot of chases, thanks in part to his ability to get hitters to bite on the cutter and curveball.

Kyle Bradish, who struck out 15 over his first 10 innings this year, is another.

Prospects making their mark

Since the middle of August, we’ve seen plenty of prospects make their MLB debuts. Samuel Basallo, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, Sal Stewart, and Carter Jensen are just some of those names.

And, all of those players could be players who will be on the radar come 2026.

We know Basallo will. Basallo signed a multi-year extension with Baltimore a few weeks ago that bought out free agency years. And, the bat is legit; his left-handed presence should play well in Camden Yards.

The same can be said for McLean and Tong, both very different pitchers but both are effective in their own way. Tong has a blistering four-seamer that plays up with the backspin and extension — and the velocity. McLean, meanwhile, can spin a curveball and a sweeper like very few.

Yes, much of their 2026 value has yet to be determined — especially if any of those players suffer more severe injuries. However, the next few weeks will play a crucial role in determining whether these names can slip under the radar or become high-valued assets.

How you should handle the final three weeks

Obviously, this will depend on the format. For H2H leagues that lock every Monday, the trick will be to find viable two-start starters on the market, as well as not completely neglect saves (or holds, for advanced formats). And, pay attention to injuries.

But in leagues that allow day-to-day lineup changes, keep a couple of things in mind:

• Know where you’re lacking: If it’s strikeouts, look for high-volume strikeout pitchers on the market. Need to make up in ERA and WHIP? Maybe don’t start one of those groundball-heavy pitchers, unless it’s a soft matchup.
• Play the matchups: This becomes even more important late in the year. Soft pitching matchups can make for cheap wins and strikeouts.
• Don’t take unnecessary chances: If you’re leading, do everything to stay in top position.

For more on how to handle this week, check out our waiver wire hitter and pitcher recommendations.